By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean McVay says he never seriously thought his partnership with Matthew Stafford would come to an end this month after four seasons together with the Los Angeles Rams.
The head coach still acknowledged Monday that he’s “been sleeping better the last couple of days” since the Rams and Stafford ended their much-publicized negotiations by agreeing to a restructured contract that gives a substantial raise to the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
“That was never something that felt like ever got close, and it was never something that I allowed my mind to go to,” McVay said of the possibility of a breakup with Stafford, whose agent was allowed to speak to other teams about the quarterback’s potential value in a trade.
The Rams got a deal done with the 37-year-old Stafford, whose return keeps them among the NFL’s clear Super Bowl contenders for 2025.
Los Angeles has made the playoffs three times in Stafford’s four seasons, and the NFC West champion Rams gave the strongest challenge in the just-completed postseason to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles, who only narrowly won the teams’ snowy divisional round meeting.
The Rams haven’t revealed the size of Stafford’s pay raise, but McVay said the quarterback didn’t add extra years to his contract. He is still signed through the 2026 season under the original four-year extension he accepted following the Rams’ Super Bowl triumph in February 2022.
“There was always an understanding that he wouldn’t play under the number that he was due this coming year,” McVay said. “When he felt good with the way the season ended, and obviously we were all ecstatic about him wanting to continue to play, now it’s just figuring out the semantics. … There’s no way to put an actual value on what he means, but what does it look like to be able to fit it (into) the landscape of our football team, where we’re at, and what does that look like for the short and for the long term? Fortunately, we were able to come to a compromise and a conclusion that everybody feels really good about.”
Stafford also renegotiated his contract a year ago to get more guaranteed money. McVay has found a bright side to this annual chapter of offseason drama, which has included countless media debates and reports of other teams’ interest in Stafford.
“Last year, (the negotiations) took about seven months,” McVay said. “This year, about three weeks. So maybe it’ll be about two, three days next year if we have to do this.”
Stafford was sharp for the Rams last season, passing for 3,762 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 65.8% of his throws. His return provides continuity and veteran leadership in McVay’s offense, which also retained left tackle Alaric Jackson on a three-year, $57 million deal last week that kept him out of free agency.
McVay said the Rams are eager to re-sign Jimmy Garoppolo as Stafford’s backup, but they realize Garoppolo could get offers for more playing time.
McVay didn’t definitively close the door on the possibility of keeping Super Bowl 56 MVP receiver Cooper Kupp, but he repeatedly spoke of Kupp’s departure as a high probability. McVay said the Rams haven’t discussed the possibility of restructuring Kupp’s contract.
Kupp announced last month that the Rams are trying to trade him instead of keeping his large salary on their payroll for 2025.
McVay and Kupp have been together for their entire eight-year tenures with the Rams. McVay said the decision to part with Kupp is about “the whole puzzle” and the salary cap space that will be freed up by the receiver’s departure.
“No matter what, his legacy is cemented as an all-time Ram,” McVay said. “Most importantly, I’m a better human for having had his eight years with him.”
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